EDITORIAL – The lamppost case

After almost 15 years, former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano has been cleared of the graft charges in relation to the alleged anomalous transaction in the purchase of hundreds of street lampposts for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2006.

In an October 25, 2019 decision, the Fourth Division of Sandiganbayan also acquitted 10 other individuals who were mostly former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Central Visayas.

In the decision penned by Associate Justice Bayani Jacinto, the anti-graft court ruled that the case has never been proven beyond reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented by both prosecution and defense panels.

Although the case against Ouano and another respondent was dropped because of their deaths in 2015 and 2016, respectively, the Sandiganbayan decided that none of the accused were found to have influenced the contract’s budget. The court also found no evidence that showed the bidders were spurious.

However, a careful look at the ruling would prompt many to consider asking a valid question: Did the court stop looking into Ouano’s alleged involvement in the lamppost anomaly the moment he died five years ago?

His death may have been largely the reason for the late Mandaue City mayor’s acquittal. However, for Ouano’s family, the dismissal would have been a great victory for them had he been alive today.

Had Ouano been alive, he would have been expected to exhaust all his resources proving to the court his deal on the lamppost purchase was in good faith and aboveboard, making the dismissal even sweeter.

It is unfortunate that Ouano has long been dead when the Sandiganbayan released its decision. While he is now rejoicing six feet under, we can only bow our heads thinking about the slow movement of the case.